DEC 07, 2017

Reducing Antibiotic Use in Animals

WRITTEN BY: Brenda Kelley Kim

Antibiotic resistance is a problem that could affect the health of thousands. From overuse of antibiotic drugs, some bacteria have become resistant to these medications. Calling them "superbugs" experts have said that some diseases will be harder to treat because the available drugs just don't work anymore. Not all resistance is caused by taking antibiotics too often, however. In livestock that is raised for food consumption, antibiotic use is widespread. Farmers will dose animals with antibiotics to promote faster growth and to keep bacteria from causing sickness.

The World Health Organization recently called for the reduction of antibiotics in farm animals that are used for food. The drugs stay in the animal, even after it's slaughtered and when people consume the meat, the medication impacts them as well. If humans consume too much meat that has been treated with antibiotics, resistance to these drugs will increase. Some doctors warn that farmers do not reduce the number of drugs they use on their livestock, some illnesses will be difficult, if not impossible to treat